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Avangi  #545199  Wed, 23 Jul 08 01:55 AM
You're gonna kick yourself:  "to" is not a preposition!
  
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New2grammar  #545200  Wed, 23 Jul 08 01:58 AM
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Avangi  #545203  Wed, 23 Jul 08 02:05 AM
New2grammar
She came to see me.
Oh, (sigh) what is "to"?

It looks like a preposition, and it walks like a preposition, and it quacks like a preposition, but, _______________
  
New2grammar  #545204  Wed, 23 Jul 08 02:07 AM
Avangi
what is "to"?
??? It's a preposition.
  
New2grammar  #545209  Wed, 23 Jul 08 02:12 AM
It looks like a preposition, and it walks like a preposition, and it quacks like a preposition, but,

that's so funny. LOL!!
Avangi, I would like to know how you define preposition? I would like to see things through your eyes.
  
Avangi  #545210  Wed, 23 Jul 08 02:13 AM
I apologize.  This will really test your sense of humor.
  
Avangi  #545661  Thu, 24 Jul 08 02:54 AM
New2grammar
Cool Breeze
all prepositions require a gerund

CB, I'm a little surprised to hear this.

She came to see me. (Is see a gerund?)
In this sentence, "to see" is an infinitive.  I have been arguing that in this case "to" is not a preposition and is therefore exempted from CB's rule.

Yankee has kindly advised me that while BrE sources call the "to" an "infinitive marker," AmE sources consider it to still be a preposition.  My apologies to New2grammar.

This leaves us in the awkward position of not allowing the "bare infinitive" to follow it's marker, "to," which is of course absurd.  Thanks for hanging in on this, New2!
  
New2grammar  #545667  Thu, 24 Jul 08 03:01 AM
I sort of understand why you would like to exclude the infinite 'to'. I can sort of feel the difference. I guess it's just a matter of definitions.

Thanks, Avangi for looking it up.
  
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